Birmingham City’s pursuit of Jack Butland from Rangers is gaining clarity as Rangers’ stance on the matter becomes apparent. The Scottish Premiership team has expressed no intention to sell Jack Butland to Birmingham City in January, despite the latter’s interest, as reported by TEAMtalk.
Wayne Rooney, the former Manchester United and England captain, has taken the managerial reins at Birmingham City just one week ago. This appointment comes as part of the new owners’ efforts to enhance the football club’s reputation. While Rooney is yet to oversee a match for Birmingham, he is actively strategizing for their upcoming fixture against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.
Although Rooney has only been in his new role for a week, there is already significant speculation regarding potential changes he might implement in January, including the potential acquisition of Rangers’ goalkeeper, Jack Butland. The question remains: Does Birmingham City have a genuine interest in signing Jack Butland?
Butland only joined Rangers in the summer, as manager Mick Beale convinced the Englishman to move north of the border after his contract at Crystal Palace expired.
However, Beale has now left the club and that has said to thrown the future of Butland into doubt. The goalkeeper is said to be considering his options, and it has been reported that Birmingham, a club where it all started for the player, could be an option in January.
Butland has had a tricky time of it lately, as he was on loan at Manchester United last season but didn’t feature for the club as he was used as a squad player.
| Jack Butland’s stats by division, as per Transfermarkt | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Clean sheets | Goals conceded |
| Premier League | 87 | 21 | 130 |
| Championship | 161 | 24 | 227 |
| League Two | 24 | 11 | 26 |
| Scottish Premiership | 8 | 5 | 5 |
| *Stats as of 18th of October | |||
Before that move, he was at Crystal Palace, and he lost his place in their starting XI. So, when he joined Rangers in the summer, it was a chance for him to start playing regularly once again.
What is Rangers’ stance on Jack Butland amid Birmingham City interest?
Birmingham City expressed strong interest in acquiring Jack Butland during the summer transfer window. However, the goalkeeper ultimately chose to join Rangers, where he has consistently played in both league matches and Champions League qualifying games.
Now, it appears that Birmingham faces a formidable challenge in their pursuit of Butland once more, as Rangers have categorically ruled out any possibility of a deal to transfer Butland, as reported by TEAMtalk.
The report explicitly states: “The idea of Birmingham attempting to secure Butland’s signature has been met with skepticism at Ibrox, where Rangers have absolutely no inclination to entertain offers for their top-choice goalkeeper. Therefore, it would necessitate an exceptionally compelling proposal to entice them to part with him in January.”
Given that Butland is still in the early stages of his tenure at Rangers and likely desires a successful stint there, the situation has been complicated by the departure of the manager who originally brought him in. Furthermore, reports of Wayne Rooney’s interest in signing him for Birmingham may pique Butland’s interest in a potential move.
Nonetheless, it’s crucial to note that Butland remains under contract at Ibrox, and Rangers are unlikely to entertain the notion of selling their primary goalkeeper midway through the season. Unless Butland actively pushes for a transfer or Birmingham submits an extraordinary offer, it is probable that he will remain with Rangers beyond the January transfer window.
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